Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-30
CHOKED THE JAILER.
FURTHER PARTICULARS OF TIE
LYNcHIKG or COLE.
How 10 Fastened His End-A Deter
mined Crowd-A Sad Accident
Personal Notes.
correspondence Of the Richmond DIspaseh.l


PETERSBURG, Va, July 20, 1887.
The following extract from q letter
received in this city contains some adj
ditional and interesting facts relative to
the recent hanging OF Reuben Cole in
Surry county: --
"After Cole had been arraigned in
the County Court and elected to be
tried IN the Circuit Court, and had
been taken back to Jail he came to his
window and cursed the crowd gathered
on the outside, daring them to attempt
to lynch him. He was especially abu-
sive of Mrs. Savage. To the negroes
he said: You have come to see me
hung, but you will not. My lawyers
can keep me from trial for two years at
least.
"The negro's conduct and boast no
doubt added fuel to the fire that was
already burning. There had been o
guard around the jail for the past three
weeks, but ON tins day the number was
increased by fifteen additional men.
The lynching party numbered about
seventy five men. They came to the
jail so quietly that the guards were
taken completely by surprise, and only
one of them offered any resistance. He
was overpowered instantly.
1.-THE party then went to Bohannan's
store, where the jailer, Mr.. Faul-
con Parsons,-a young man about
twenty years of age,-slept. They
called out to him to sur
render the keys OF the Jail, and that if
he did so he would not be harmed. MIR.
Parsons made no reply. The doors
were broken open and the lynchers
forced their way to his presence and
demanded the keys. Parsons told them
he could not give them up. A rope
was Immediately placed around his
neck and he was choked until he could
not speak. Fearing further violence
lie threw up his hands in token of sur
render, and was released on Civ
ing up the keys. They then ordered
him TO follow them under pain of
death. This he refused to do, and a
dozen pistols were pressed to his face.
"Cole made noresistance when taken
from jail. He was hung to a small
tree near the courthouse. The guards
were all required to go with the lynch
ers and witness the hanging. After
Cole had been hung movement was
made to mutilate the body, but at the
earnest request of Mr.. S. II. Smith,
one of the guards, it was abandoned,
and the party left. Everything was
done so quietly that the citizens of the
village were not awakened until the
lynchers began firing into the dead
body"
A SAD CASE.
A letter received here last evening
from Sussex county says: "Thomas
Wells. who works for Mr.. F. l.. Pc
dream, and lives on the land of Captain
John II. Fatte, near Jarratt's, became
angry with his wife yesterday and
hurled billet Of wood at her. The
missile missed its aim, but struck and
buried itself in the head Of their child,
where II remained until pulled out by
the distressed mother, bringing with it
discharge Of blood and brains. A
physician was sent for and pronounced
the wound fatal. Wells, on discovering
what he had done, went away, declaring
his intention Of taking his own life
should the child die"
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
The Baptists of Sussex county have
made liberal preparations for the cele-
bration Of the centennial OF their
church, High Hills, on Saturday and
Sunday. a large crowd is expected to
be in attendance.
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.
Tippecanoc Tribe. No. 81, /. O. r.
NJ, was instituted here last night with
q membership of $50, which, it is eX-
pected, will he increased to fully 200
bv next week.
Betty Brooks (colorcd), indicted for
infanticidc, was convicted i'll the Hust-
ings Court last night OF assault and
battery on her infant and sentenced TO
four months Imprisonment in jail. To-
day Annie Green. another colored
woman. was convicted of like offence
and sentenced to six months imprison-
ment.
-Four colored men named William
Robertson, Moses Baker, Adolphus
Scott, and Page Morris were arrested
here to-day, charged with the recent
felonicus assault on Police-Oificer
Harris in Richmond.
At al early hour this morning Sec
ton No. 2 of Freight Train No. Z,
coming east on the Norfolk and West
ern railroad, ran into the rear of Sec
ton No. /, which had stopped for
water at Nottoway Courthouse, dam
aging a number of cars and causing a
temporary obstruction of the track.
ROBIN ADAIR.